Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-06-16
CHAPTER XXI.
CLIFFE RAILWAY STATION


here and there-he saw men running to
and fro-he heard cries, and loud voices
of men. One or two porters came to
him, but all made way when the sta
ton. master hurried to the carriage.
evil you come this way my lOrd?"
he said. Il should like 10 see you for
few minutes before you go on to the
platform" Then he turned with bow
to Lady Perth. "My lady," he said,
"this is no place for you at present. Ii
l may advise, should suggest that the
flrst-class waitlng-room would be the
best place for you. You will see less of
the horrors there.
"Has it been such terrible accident?"
asked Lord Stair, and his voice had
curious, far-off sound.
"The worst by far that l have ever
known" was the reply.
"Are there any killed." asked Lord
Stair, in the same dull blank tone.
II am afraid there are many killed, my
lord" answered the station-master.
Then they reached the platform. All
the lamps were lighted, but the wind
blew keenly, and the cold was intense.
"If the accident had been in summer
or in daylight, it would not have been
so bad" said the station-master; 'the
darkness and the cold make it the more
awful"
He led the way to the first-class
waiting-room, where good fire was
burning, and some kindly women were
attending to group of children who
had been frightened and injured. AS
they entered the room, Lady Perth's
quick ears caught few words. "rhey
say she was such beautiful lady" and
the answer was, "There will be little
beauty left now In a dull, vague
fashion the words struck her as refer
ring to some one she knew.
IF on will remain here, my lady,"
said the station master, until Lord
Stair returns"
One man upon the platform, tall
dark man, wrapped in a fur-cloak,
joined them,
doctor Orton-Lord Stair" was the
Decentralization, and the doctor looked
with supreme compassion on the hand
some, stately gentleman before him.
"Does Lord Stair know" asked the
doctor.
The station-master shook his head.
IL do not know in what words to tell
him." he replied.
Il can bear a great DEAL" said Lord
Stair; "but | am beginning to fe ar.
Where is my wife? She was in the train,
/ know she is hurt, L know, by your
sending for me. For Heavens sake,
take me to her. have borne all | can
bear-take me to her."
He fell staggering against the wall;
he would have fallen to the ground but
the doctors arm saved him; he seemed
C,t1I AnIx 60 hnx nA1l gn1 20
blind, deaf, mute, to loose all strength
from his limbs.
''Take me to her." he repeated, "for
Heavens sake! can not bear such an
other moment as this"
platform; they led him as they would
have done helpless child.
"You will need all your courage,
Lord STAIR" said the doctor; "you will
need all the bravery that q man can
show. You must not fail; there are
many here tonight whose trouble is as
great as yours"
II will not fall" said Lord Stair.
"Tell me the worst, and in Heavens
name l will bear it,"
They had walked beyond the station
walls, the cold, keen wind was blowing,
anu but udThucSs was iultHSc.
"Tell me the worst" he said, and he
took off his hat, standing bare-headed
under the darkling heavens. "Tell me
the worst, can bear it now"
1T is the worst, my lord" said the
doctor, gravely.
"You mean then he stopped alb
ruptly.
81 mean," said DR.. Orion, reverently,
shat Lady Stair is dead"
Dead" A thousand voices seemed
to catch up the word, and the wind
whirled it over the red lights, over the
darkened meadows far away.
But he was not there, he no longer
saw the red lights, he was away in O
sweet old-fashioned garden with the
roses blowing all about him, the boughs
of the accacia-trees striking him as the
soft summer wind stirred them; the
nightingales singing, the faint sweet
sound of Bach's symphony in the dis
lance and he was saying:
I" will take the risk of your happi-
ness and your life; I will answer to
Heaven for them"
A white, slim hand lies in his, beau
tiful young face looks at him between
smiles and tears.
"Oh, Marguerite, Marguerite! my love
my life!"
Then there Is curious whirl in his
brain; the garden, the roses, the acacia
boughs, the beautiful face, have all
vanlshed; the cold winters wind is
blowing-the darkness seems to Unfold
him-the red lights shine like giants
eyes, and the word dead" rings in his
ears. He finds that under the shock of
that word ne has fallen, and the two
men have raised him with plying faces
He said to himself that he could bear it
all, that he could stand up erect end
brave, If only those winds would cease
crying "Dead." Some one held br andy
to his lips but he pushed it away.
II am right now" he said. "rell me
the rest" and he had curious sensa-
tion that the garden with the roses and
the music dying over the trees was not
far away-the young face under the
green boughs. Was 1t his voice crying,
marguerite! Marguerite?"--did he
really hear sound as ofmen weeping?"
Il am afraid" he said, suddenly,
that am not behaving very courage
ously. Give me few minutes. / am
stunned and giddy. ! shall be able to
think soon."
Oonc oho pIouSub cHalr anu ne SAT
down upon 1t, He did not know that
his head fell on the doctors breast; he
did not know that people came and
looked at him with grave kindly pity,
and he did not know how many long
minutes passed before he woke with
that one word beating on his brain,
"Dead-Dead J"
Then, with violent effort, he re-
covered himself; he stood upright, he
no longer required the help Of those
friendly arms.
81 thank you gentlemen he said.